To Be Free
by Bio-Nic
Summary: To be free of ones past, one must embrace what they are, and then have the strength to become what they must. Can captain Hitsugaya and Matsumoto face their respective destinies, and their loves before darkness consumes them all?
1. Prologue

Prologue

Too many times before Rangiku stood here on this dusty training field, watching Captain Hitsugaya as he looked up into the asylum that the woman he loved had finally been put away into. Hinomori would never recover from what Aizen had done to her, even as her physical state improved, her mental and emotional state fell to ruin.

Everyone knew that she would die soon, her attachment and "love" for the former captain had become too strong even for Inoue's permanent good humor and healing abilities to help. She watched him as he would look up to see her pass by, not really there anymore, and heard the strain on his voice as he watched her pass even as he scolded a fighter who had nearly missed a block from another's soul cutter.

Too many times she waited until he saw her disappear into the distance and wondered what things might have been like if she had tried harder to help Hitsugaya catch Hinomori's heart before the darkness that was Aizen had stolen it from all of them.

She, not for the first time, understood how much it hurt to have something that she wanted but could never have. Gin was on the wrong side, caught up in whatever Aizen's plot was, and she knew that she was going to have to face him. Kill him, more than likely. She was the only one who could stop Gin, she knew in her heart. She smiled sadly, even as Hitsugaya turned to her to continue the field training report.

"What was the tolerance for the new Hollow defenses Matsumoto?' he asked, the darkness that had been on his face gone as fast as it had arrived

"Ummm.. 28 on the eastern squad, and 31 on the west..." she replied quickly, her eyes shadowed by the early evening stars.

"Up from last week, good. Let me know when they reach the next target goal." Hitsugaya made to continue on down the line of training shinigami.

"Captain, wai..." died in her throat as he moved out of conversation distance. She wanted to help him, wanted to show him that the longing that she knew he was feeling was not in vain, that it would work out in the end. She also knew that it was an empty gesture, and that he would not take well to someone interfering in what was obviously to him private business.

She knew that he was slipping, his patience was the key to his leadership, and that had been strained almost to the breaking point in the past few weeks. Something had to be done, but who could she talk to that would be willing, and more importantly able, to help?? With a sudden inspiration, she remembered the human girl, Karin, who perhaps would be able to prevent Hitsugaya from falling to his own anger and hatred for Aizen.

With a sharp little smile and bounce in her gait, she went to contact Rukia in the human world...


	2. For all the Rest of My Days

For all the Rest of My Days

It was exhilarating to stand before fallen foes, to watch them as they moved about in their daze of defeat. She could never get enough of it, to feel the breeze blow across the field as the last shot rang out, and all grew silent as you KNEW that it was finally over.

Karin's friends moved about her, their shadows long in the evening light as the game ended, cheering out with their final victory of the summer season. She couldn't help but smile a little as they clapped each other on the back and moved off the field toward the locker room, the exuberance of beating the Nermia Wrecking Crew a feather in everyone's cap.

For all her elation, he still had not arrived or been to this game. She had not expected him to, of course, but a small frown still crossed her young face even so as she followed her friends to their victory feast at the local Onimyiaki shoppe. The least he could do was write. She understood why Ichi-nii was gone, only needing to become stronger for what was a fight that he felt needed to be found, but the power that Hitsugaya had displayed, with the control and finesse he had shown, certainly he could take some time to come and see a simple soccer game.

--

Rukia had faced this opponent many times before,and watched her opponent carefully for any signs of uneasiness. Orihime looked back at her, eye large brown eye's seeming distant as Rukia prepared her assault for today.

This had become a daily ritual for them, each trying to out do the other in both style and flair of their chosen art. She had prepared carefully however, and with a flourish produced from under her desk a bento that she hoped would finally decide the winner of this little competition.

"Behold the greatest pickled rice and sashimi bento IN THE WORLD!!" Lightning crashed outside, and through the windows the gleam in her eyes was plain as she put the lunch box in front of todays" judge."

Chad wondered not for the first time how he had been chosen for this particular chore. It wasn't that he minded the food, but he still enjoyed his normal bento, sausage and egg biscuits with gravy over the odd japanese meals he had been presented with as of late.

He put down his fork, and picking up his chopsticks, doled a small portion of food from the proffered bento over to his napkin, and taking a bite, began to masticate. He understood that NOT eating the dish would make Rukia or Orihime unhappy, but he chewed, nonetheless. He paused as he finished, then thought carefully before stating simply "Needs more salt."

"Salt? Is that all you ever want on your food, is salt?" Rukia demanded hotly.

"Yes, salt." Was Chad's simple reply.

"O.K. Rukia has had her turn, now please try mine!" Enthused Orihime as a lump of SOMETHING was pushed into Chad's open mouth. Gaging slightly on the food, it took Chad a moment to realize what he had been eating. Watermelon figured heavily, followed quite soon after that by the pickled persimmons that had been inserted into the rind. His mouth temporarily caught fire as he realized that his tongue was beginning to melt from the juices of the jalapeño peppers that had soaked the concoction for several hours.

As part of some emergency brain function, Chad's hand quickly reached for the small jug that had been near him at the beginning of this "competition". Drinking deeply, and sadly realizing too late, the taste of the American beverage named "Red Bull" seared everything but the white hot lance of pain that was his esophagus before he passed out from lack of oxygen and fell over.

"Fifteen seconds" called one of the girls in the group as she put a small timer back into her desk. Orihime continued to wonder what the label of the bottled read even as Chad keeled over. "Mex-i-can Sui-cide Sa-uce" had been scrawled across the bottle, the skull and bones motif and the fact that it had melted her cooking spoon never occurring to her. It had been quite expensive, and the man who had sold it to her had looked furtively about as his fold up stall had been moved away, the sounds of sirens in the distance making him wonder if one of his "clients" had tried the super red spicy tacos he had sold the day before.

"That's a record Orihime, we will have you cooking for Ichigo in no time!" called out Rukia as her phone began to vibrate and her kuro-chan bear ornament began to light up. Quickly flipping the display open, she wondered why Ragiku would be contacting her in the human world.

"Excuse me a moment, I need to speak with someone." She moved down the hallway and began to listen to the lieutenant captain began to explain the current problem, Chad twitching slightly as the school nurse rushed into the room to check on the commotion...

--

Karin had just finished the last of her homework for the evening when a knock came at her door. "It's open!" she said as Rukia came into the bedroom, her face solemn and serious.

"What's wrong Rukia, you look so ser..." her words died as following Rukia was followed by Matsumoto Ranigku, in full shinigami regalia.

"We need to talk, Karin..." Matsumoto stated before closing the door..

--

Hitsugaya moved through his forms, his soul cutter tinging with hard snapping noises as the ice crystals flicked from the tip of his blade to embed themselves into a precise pattern on the training target 15 yards away. As he practiced, he began to slow down his attacks, building the power in each stroke until with a final roar a ball of ice almost 3 meters in diameter engulfed the training target and shattered it to pieces.

"Damnit, why the hell can't I keep focused today?" He muttered to himself as he sheathed his soulcutter and went back to his squad. Matsumoto was missing again, and the paperwork that she was to turn into him this morning, as normal, wasn't done when he arrived back and sat down at the desk. He began to page through a report on recent signs of Aizen's movments when one of the pictures on his desk caught his eye. It had been taken after his promotion ceremony, and showed Hinamori fussing over his new white overcoat while Matsumoto drank from a sake bottle with Renji in the background. Also in the background were the 12 other captains of the Gotai 13. As his eyes scanned the picture his eyes hooded as he noticed for the first time that Aizen was looking directly out at the camera, his glasses glared over by the sun, a smirk on his face. Suddenly and without warning, the pane of glass that had held the photo misted over and shattered, cutting the white haired captains finger in the process. Scoffing slightly, Toshiro threw the picture in the garbage and continued on with the reports, never noticing as the room temperature fell or that his blood froze before it hit the floor...


	3. The Mighty Never

The Mighty Never...

"You need me to do WHAT?" cried Karin, shocked astonishment and crimson cheeks showing the... insanity that Matsumoto had just dropped in her lap.

"I want you to help Captain Hitsugaya keep his control. It's very important that he remain cool and calm while this war happens. The idea of him losing his control is... rather frightening" stated Rukia gravely.

"But WHY? What is the worst that could happen? How can it be that important that he not lose his cool?" Karin wasn't falling for this, it had to be a joke, and she was NOT happy that Rukia and Matsumoto-san would attempt to bring her into it.

"Well, for one thing, freezing almost a third of the royal city, or worse than that, losing control during a fight in the real world and destroying Kakura town." Matsumoto intoned gravely. She then went on to explain that when a captain level shinigami made to compact with his soul cutter for their "bankai" that not only was their power nearly quadrupled, but the amount of control that they needed to focus that power and prevent it from running amok went up by the same amount.

"Captain level releases of power only happen rarely, but when they do the power is intoxicating and dangerous to them. All captains have a focus, a single thing that helps them keep this in check. They also have limiters installed while they are in the real world to help keep from bleeding that power into the surrounding environment and attracting hollows. They can also hurt themselves if they are not careful, and more than one captain has been lost to his own pride."

"I think I understand, but how can I help?" Karin was confused, and she still can't see why this was important that she be the one to help the captain.

"Well for one thing, he is attracted to you. He doesn't admit it, not even to himself, but I can see it." Rukia interjected for the first time. "You are also closest to his age, all things considered, it's not a horrible thing, love." Rukia finished, a slight blush on her own cheeks as she finished and thought about her own focus.

"But I hardly know him!" Karin was not going to let this go down that easily.

"I have a good idea how to help you out with that" Matsumoto drawled, her grin that of a cat who just caught a mouse...

--

Matsumoto DID have a good idea, and had Karin actually guessed at the plan she was going to help with, she very well may have committed homicide. She still agreed, however, and now stood here in the middle of a old field near the edge of town. Her distaste at the dress that she was wearing plain on her face. It was more annoyingt that she had to borrow one of her sisters, not owning a dress of her own, she had been shocked to see the sly look her sister had given when she had agreed to the loan.

"Good, your here." The sudden voice so close behind her ear made Karin jump, her skirt blossoming out around her like rose petals.

A door had appeared in the air behind her, Matsumoto leaning against the frame with a black butterfly playing on the tips of her fingers. "Put this on and take my hand. We don't have much time and we need to hurry."

Karin took the proffered ring and watched as the butterfly inlaid ring glowed for a moment before fading. She stepped over the thresh hold and walked into Soul Society.

--

Hitsugaya began the trip down to the weekly captain meeting, his steps heavy and dull in the seldom used corridor. He had slept fitfully, unable to find any reason to his melancholy. Again, he wondered why he would come this way. The buildings around him had become so common to him over the last few months that suddenly when he stopped, he realized that he could see in her window. Without his seeming control, his eyes were drawn to Hinamori's window. She wasn't there, she was in the asylum, and she would stay there. He knew that she was dying, that she was not ever going to recover. Again the anger began to grow, a red haze descended and with a rueful snort, Hitsugaya made a slashing motion toward the ally to his left. Walking on, he did not notice as the ice blossomed and the temperature dropped.

--

"As part of our normal operations, we shall be conducting reviews of all the shinigami 4th rank or higher from every squad over the next week to plan new layouts and defensive positions in the real word. All captains will have a report of themselves and their subordinates readiness by Monday of next week, and be prepared with suggestions as to possible promotions." Hitsugaya hated these meeting, and the adjunct to the commander always drawled on about things that did not matter. He needed to get back to his work, and he needed to prepare for the war that was about to fall on them all.

"Also as is normal, this coming evening will be the annual Caretaker festival, to which all captains will be required to attend. If a captain cannot, please have your vice captain attend for you, as it is vital to show that we are all working together to address this common problem that Aizen presents. Please arrive ready one hour ahead of time so we can prepare for the ceremony. That it all, please attend your normal duties."

"Who will you be attending the ceremony with, captain?" Matsumoto whispered as the meeting finished.

"I wont attend this year. You will need to attend for me."

"I can't, I apologize sir, but I have too much paperwork that I need to catch up on, and not a lot of time to complete it before the readiness on Monday." She would be bored to tcars, but there was nothing else for it. If this is what it took to get the captain back on the path, then so be it Matsumoto thought glumly.

"Very well, I will go.." Hitsugaya deflated a little as the idea of a formal celebration loomed darkly before him. He would need to pull his dress uniform out of storage, and could not remember the last time that Rangiku turned down a party. Oh well, it wasnt like he needed to be there long, and perhaps a moment to unwind would do some good. With a snot, he moved off to find his dress robe.

--

Karin looked on in awe from her vantage point high in the walls of the Kuchika house. Rukia had brought her here late yesterday evening, and after swearing two of the households retainers to silence, had left her in their care while she attended a meeting. She knew that she was here to help, but again she wondered just why she had so readily agreed to this particular plan. With a snort of derision, she continued to twiddle her short locks of hair and wait for news of the next step of Matsumoto's plan.

To be contiued...


	4. Honesty's Mistake

Honesty's Mistake

"Is this mine?" the voice drawled in a seductive, lilting tone.

"This finger?" gentle lips brushed her fingertips.

"This wrist, is this mine?" Again the feather touch against her bare skin made her tremble. Every time the voice would call a part out, asking if it was his or not. Arm, leg, knee, thigh, ear. It was a torment and a desire, all rolled into one. She didn't know how long she had been here, only that he was here with her, and that he would never abandon her in this place. Her mind began to quake as the voice and kisses grew more intimate, more personal.

She knew she wanted him to stop, to slow down, to tell her the words she needed to hear from him before he went too far and she lost her control. Suddenly, with a ferocious and savage thrust, she felt the soul cutter break through her sternum, her heart, rip out her back and then twist in a cruel red sneer out her back.

All the while she heard the voice asking what part of her was his, along with the still tender kisses. All the time she wanted to say that she was his, mind and body, but the words could not come through the blood rising from her insides. The agony was horrendous, and she knew that she was going to die. He had betrayed her, lead her down this path of desire, and then left her here, bleeding and dying.

Even as the voice continued to taunt and to please, the kisses continued to carress and sooth, she felt her life force drain away, and she saw Toshiro pull the soul cutter from her chest with a wet slick sound...

--

With a snarl and curse, Hitsugaya was up and out of his bed, his soul cutter blazing blue fury and the room nearly subzero. Everything in his private quarters was frozen, and a dense blue mist was rolling in from the warm evening air.

"A dream. Just a dream..." With a sigh and a glance at the now frozen clock, Hitsugaya stood to allow his mind to clear. It was going to be a long day, and that damnable festival was tonight. Damn Matsumoto for playing the good vice captain. He didn't have time for this. Aizen was a real threat, and if the commander wanted to really make a difference, he wouldn't be sitting and waiting for the war to come here.

Standing and breaking through the frozen door to his room, he quickly dressed and walked out, even as the water began to drip from the frozen picture frame of shrouded figures on his desk...

--

Matsumoto sneezed as the first heat of midmorning began to stifle the meeting. "For the next two weeks, we will be on high alert as the next phase of training begins. Please be aware that anyone of rank "D" or higher is required to put a request through squad four to be assigned as a medical backup and that everyone who is of rank "E" or lower is to be squad assigned for rapid response in the event of an attack. Also please be aware that for the next two nights, we will be on patrol duty, and thus a rota of the following will be established..." the meeting continued without much incident, and suddenly afternoon loomed high in the sky. The captain had been missing all morning, and it was nearly time to meet for the festival. She would need to find him and make sure that he was appropriately dressed for the coming occasion, as she did not want to ruin ANYTHING...

Several staff officers were wondering why vice captain Rangiku was leering into space even as a evil chuckle would be emitted every now and then from deep in her throat.

--

"But I can't DANCE" Karin protested with a look of horror on her face. I have never once in my life, and I had never intended to until now! In fact, I won't! You can't make me!" The crimson bloom on her cheeks was bright in the midmorning sky as Rukia prepared her to meet with the captain.

"Please be reasonable Karin-san. We know the only way that you can get to know the captain is if he doesn't KNOW that you are talking to him. He would be stubborn and clam up without this, so please just sit quietly while I finish this makeup.

"But I can't DA.." was cut off as Rangiku opened and shut the doors quickly. Looking at the scene in satisfaction.

"You will do, but I think we need to add one more thing to this to make sure that victory is assured. Pulling a simple black opera mask out from behind her back, she presented Karin with a look that would not brooch any argument.

"Now this is how your going to meet the captain. As part of the procession, he will need a partner for the grand entrance, and I know just how your going to meet up..."

--

"These robes suck. Why did Matsumoto not want to go to this damn party again?" Hitsugaya's muttering had grown more dark and moody as he was helped into the white hakama and black obi combination. It was silly that he, who EVERYONE knew hated this was stuck doing something that his second in command would be better suited to. With a sigh and one final scoff at the stupidity of the whole thing, he set off for the field just outside the parade grounds.

--

"Captain Hitsugaya, how WONDERFUL to see you again!" Claude, one of the "organizers" for these events was as pretentious and peacock like as always. His robes, rather than the normal Shinigami black, were an off colored tan, and he wore a rose stickpin through his lapel in lieu of a soulcutter. He was known as a fancy, and even now Hitsugaya was radiating cold in waves as the nancy approached.

"For this years procession, we have decided on something slightly different for the dance. As everyone knows, we will be battling with the hollow as always, but this year, I wish to acknowledge the unknown element of what is to be happening, so this year... will be a Masked Parade. Please wear this mask to both the precession and the ball, as I would be absolutely HEARTBROKEN if you did not..."

"I will NOT B..." with a sudden welling, Claude appeared to swell to the size of a giant and with eyes as dark as midnight he seemed to loom. "WEAR THE MASK OR YOU WILL RUIN MY PARTY! AND IF YOU RUIN MY PARTY..." the doom in the eyes of the man seemed to well to ocean sized blue... "I WILL CRY!" With that, a virtual wall of water washed over Hitsugaya and he quickly put the mask on.

"Thank you captain, you look wonderful in those robes. Also, as we know your vice captain cannot attend, we have requested a consort from one of the Kuchika royal household. She should be here momentarily..." Normal again, Claude moved down the line to captain Soi Fong, vice captain Oomeada looming beside her as a giant, silent witness to the fearful man approaching them...

"Wait, CONSORT??" Hitsugaya stumbled mentally as the idea finally rolled through his still addled brain...

To Be Continued

authors note: Please be aware that I have all the respect for men named Claude, but... it just had to be that name, or you wouldn't get the joke. Seriously man... your my best friend... put the knife do... NOooooooooooooo


	5. Dragonfire

Dragonfire

Karin moved through the crowd in her sister's simple yellow dress. She for the millionth time wondered why she had agreed to this. A little voice in her head said that these people would help her find her brother, while at the same time another part of her had been reminded of the first time that Hitsugaya had fired that soccer ball with an overhead shot back to her. THAT little part of her had warmed to the idea of a dance with him. Would he be as graceful? She wanted to find out. With a sigh and a final check that her mask was in place, she went to meet the captains procession...

As the emotions battled in her heart, she did not notice as the ring on her finger began to pulse with a gentle white light...

--

Matsumoto lurked inconspicuously at the edge of the celebration route, her dark hood and robes helping to avoid recognition. She was here to ensure that things went without a hitch and that Hitsugaya didn't mess up this opportunity. He needed this, his control had continued to slip, and if the reports were any clue, the result of him losing control were even worse than she had envisioned. She only hoped this worked, for everyone's sake.

--

"Well, I might as well make the best of this" thought Hitsugaya darkly. Between the masks everyone was wearing and the heat that was being generated in these robes, this was going to be rolling disaster otherwise. The crowd parted aside to let his escort through, and for just a moment Hitsugaya was taken aback. Rather than the robes of a consort, or the black hakama of a shinigami, the woman who walked between the Kuchika family retainers was NOT a normal consort. Her garb was completely different from that of a normal woman, and with with a reiastsu that she could almost pass for a shinigami.

"This is Kaede Hitsugaya-sama, she shall be your consort for the afternoon, please treat her gently..." the escorts moved off, leaving the masked consort and Hitsugaya in a temporary ring of silence...

--

Matsumoto was at a loss seeing Hitsugaya and Karin walk together. She knew that this was the best idea for the situation, but she couldn't help but wonder how much her plan would end up helping in the long run. Karin after all was a human, and captain Hitsugaya was a shinigami. Their relationship would never last the long run. This was a temporary means to help the captain with his control and to prevent complications for all the captains before the major battle. Once that had been completed, Hitsugaya could seal his bankai and allow his badly frayed control to return.

--

Hinamori watched from her high prison as the festival continued. She had been having trouble lately keeping the voices that were screaming in her head from coming to the forefront. Aizen had said that Hitsugaya had killed him, that his jealousy and anger at her love for Aizen had lead him to murder. She knew that this was true. It was in the letter he had written to her, after all.

She knew that they were keeping her from Aizen, keeping him from seeing her. She had a horrible dream one evening, where she had been standing in a gateway to hell, her Aizen before her brandishing a sword. He had said goodbye before cruelly thrusting his blad..

"NO!" she screamed even as the voices continued to taunt, to wheedle at her senses from behind her eyes. She gazed, unblinking and unseeing, until a flash of white hair in the procession below caught her attention HE was down there, she knew. The man who had killed HER AIZEN. She had seem him pass her window so many times, his mocking face looking up directly at her, the remorseless eyes looking at her with such indignity.

She felt the rage grow again, deep inside her heart. She would have her revenge. She had been thwarted before, but now she knew exactly how to extract her toll. Her eyes slitted as she sight of the woman next to him was forever burned into her memory. That would be her revenge. All she had to do was wait until the next warder brought food to her cage...

--

"Captain, could you tell me a little about yourself? This is the first time I have walked next to such a high ranked shinigami" Karin lied. She knew that if she was caught here there would be questions, Matsumoto and Rukia would be in trouble. That didn't make her feel any better about telling lies, but at least she had the mask to hide her eyes from the prying gaze."

Hitgugaya thought for a moment before answering. "As you know, I am captain Hitsugaya Toshiro of the 10th division. I have been a captain for the last.." a firework went off in the distance, startling Karin and making her lose her step for a moment. Moving quickly, Hitsugaya stepped quickly to the front and prevented her fall. Blushing slightly, Karin thanked the diminutive captain for his help as the procession halted for a moment to watch the tribute ceremony to the warriors who had come before this generation, to the founders of Soul Society, and to the generations that would continue the proud traditions of the shinigami who fell in the coming battle with Aizen.

--

"Hinamori-san, it's time for your lunch" was all the warden could get out before the door was pushed into his face. Hinamori's soul cutter was in a locked cabinet close to her cell. She fished the key from out of the wardens cloths, then, weapon in hand, moved off to the shadows as the procession finally reached the parade grounds...

--

Another firework went off close by, awing the crowds with the dazzling displays that were put on by the 12th division. Captain Hitsugaya and "Kaeda" continued to talk as the party that followed the progression went into full swing.

Despite everything that had happened, Hitsugaya felt the burden that he had been bearing for these last few months begin to lighten. His consort, while not much of a speaking type, was quiet and composed.

She laughed as Nanao ran by with a book, blushing furiously and yelling at captain Kyouraku Shunsui about groping her during the last dance and getting drunk. She blushed slightly at seeing the good looking Ukitake Jyuushiro be followed by his bicker co-vice captains. She shuddered as she watched captain Zaraki Kenpachi and his diminutive vice captain roamed aimlessly about.

Captain Kuchika walked through sedately with a gorgeous dark haired woman she later found to be the 4th captain, Unohana Retsu. Renji and Rukia had gone by more than once, Rukia passing glances at her every now and then to check on her progress. Renji had seemed very uncomfortable about something, and seemed unable to keep any eye contact through the evening with Rukia.

"And, ladies and gentleman, the captains shall show a display of their power!" The MC had cried to the onlookers. "Please all captains in attendance proceed to the field!"

--

Hitsugaya stood and relaxed while he waited in line with each captain. All the captains had put on brilliant displays, each with their own unique skill and talents to wow the audience. He hadn't planned on much, but as he watched, an idea for a good display came to mind. All he needed to do was wait

--

Hitsugaya moved through the forms of ice, his soul cutter slicing the air with the crisp clean cuts that he had come to be known for. He was in his own world now, moving with a speed and precise control that only a captain could achieve.

Falling further into his forms, he felt the world fall away from him as the ever present draw of his power began to swell. He thought of his memories and his dreams as he worked through the forms, of the eyes that had captivated him for so long, eyes that had darkened and faded for just a moment as he fought Aizen, of the shame that he felt at losing to the bastard so easily.

He had nearly reached the apex of his demonstration as a cry of "Haijke Tobiume" came from the rear of the grounds. He watched in horror as Hinamoris distinctive attack rang out and blew through the crowd to leave many groaning on the ground. Hitsugaya was just able to catch Hinamori's eyes as her attack reached through the crowd and consumed Karin's shocked form in a blue cannon of fire.

The world was a blue haze as Hitsugaya saw his consort fall to the ground, a slash of starfire blossoming red on her chest from Hinamori's attack.

--

She had snapped, her mind had finally broken, and the destruction that she had unleashed finally broke something deep in Hinamori's heart. She was still after the savage attack, eyes downcast as she finally obtained the vengance for her Aizen. She had taken the life of an innocent, that part of her mind that still knew what was happening understood. Let vengeance come. She had waited, and watched. She was spent, and done.

With acry of "bankai" the collected audience watched as Hinamori's entire body was encased in a block of ice nearly 3 meters thick. The collected captain's could not stop the carnage in time, as the final part of Hitsugaya's attack reached through and shattered the broken woman's ice trapped body, his fully released dragon eyes burning embers in savage delight...


	6. Where We Never Meet

Where we never meet

Black. White. Black. White. The flashing pattern began to resolve itself around Karin. Tools were passed over her head as people began to work feverishly on something. Nearby she heard the sounds of yelling. Something was happening, but what? Black. White. Black. White.

"Reduce the amount of pressure, she is going into shock, do it NOW!" The cry had been desperate, again something inside her went click, and then there was nothing...

--

"Evacuate to an area of three hundred meters around the containment zone, set up a barrier around the dragon before it gets loose and we really have problems!" Captain Ukitate ordered the several squad members that were frantically writing wards. "Where the hell is Matsumoto, get her here NOW!"

Everything was in chaos. Despite this, all of the captain's had trained for this sort of problem virtually from the day that they reached Bankai. The area directly in front of the gathered squad was frozen solid, people and structures alike were nothing but white outlines in the frozen haze around the area where Hitsugaya had finally stopped.

"Sir, we found Matsumoto, she was with the retainer girl. She is shaken but okay. We are sending her out now." The shinigami, one of the 4th division, informed Ukitike quickly, then moved about to take care of the rest of his orders.

"Captain Ukitike, you know what happens if we let this continue..." Byakuya appeared by his side, nary a ripple of sound announcing his presence.

"I know, but right now we need every captain we can get, and if we can contain him long enough to seal him..." his words were cut off as an explosion near the center of the rapidly expanding cold was set off. "... We can hopefully prevent the his death." He finished. Why hadn't everyone seen this coming? For his control to have degraded this far, how could anyone have not noticed? This was bad, very bad. With an out of control Hitsugaya and no sign of the limited they needed, there could be another tragic death before the end of the evening.

"I understand, the commander has given us two hours. If after that time we are unable to seal or stop him, he has authorized a level five release of the soul cannon to eliminate the problem.

Ukitake gulped. A level five release of the soul cannon could wipe out half of soul society without much left to pick up than a blade of grass. They needed to contain this. Where the hell was Matsumoto with that damn limiter..

--

Matsumoto ran as fast as she could. She had never realized just how unstable the captain had become. Damn her and her fool plan to keep this quiet. She should have told the commander a month ago, not involved an innocent. They should have sealed Hitusgaya's bankai then, and perhaps Hinamori would still be alive. Damn herself for thinking like a romantic. If she needed to, she would stop this personally, no matter what it took.

Jumping over a low fence, she entered the command area for the containment zone. Carnage surrounded her. The white walls of force that were containing the now dormant dragon in the center of the devestation were straining from the power that they needed to contain. This could get out of hand, and she gulped at how close to ground zero she was if it did blow.

"WHERE THE HELL HAVE YOU BEEN, AND WHERE THE HELL IS THE LIMITER MATSUMOTO?!" Screamed Captain Ukitake as she landed near the magically constructed barrier around the containment area.

"I had to see to the girl sir, she nearly died, and would have if I hadn't gotten her and captain Unohana to the medical facility immediately."

"Understood, but you know your priority in these situations is to get the limiter ring to the commander in charge above all else." Ukitake replied darkly.

"I applogize, but I did bring the limiter. What will be going in?" Matsumoto asked sheepishly.

"I and captain Soi Fong will be using it to contain him. We are the only two who have enough experience with berserkers to stop a death from this."

"May I hel.." Matsumoto began.

"No, your job is to stay out here and watch him. If he starts to lose himself anymore, you are to call the strike. We need a minumum death toll here, and we may not make it out in time to stop him otherwise." Ukitake finished.

With a trembling upper lip and unshed tears, Matsumoto could only nod in understanding as to what that meant.

"Now, we need to enter and finish this before it becomes a problem. Soi Fong!" the slender captain materialized out of the shadows, and holding her shoulder, he held the small ring in his hand long enough to invoke the incantation spell.

Nothing happened.

--

She awoke on a grass turf, her cheek and chest hurting from the impact of her fall. Sitting up, she noticed for the first time the odd angle the light from the sky was coming in at. Looking around, a landscape of green fields and blue lakes resolved itself. It was both a beatiful and slightly distubing sight, as she realized finally that there was no sun in the sky, despite the light. She was still in her sister's sundress, a floppy weave hat by her side. Picking up the hat, she moved on toward the lake that was just to the west of her.

"Oho, I wondered who they would send to me..." Karin jumped, realizing that she was not alone for the first time. Looking about, she noticed the black haired boy, turned away from her and seeming to be fishing near the waters edge. She recognized the hairstyle, and trembling in a small amount of trepidation, asked "Hitsugaya-kun?"

"Not quite..." the golden eyes staring out from the face that turned to her were terrible, murderous, and with a sudden horrible realization, encased in a bone white mask...

--

"Captain, I didn't know what would happen..." Matsumoto backpedaled, the raw fury in Ukitake's eyes scared her more than anything. She knew that she had screwed up, and royally, but she did not know that she would end up like this.

"Didn't know? DIDN'T KNOW?!" The normally calm and collected captain was now pacing back and forth, his footsteps being the only sound for several minutes. "This human girl, this sister of Ichigo, does she have even the slightest INKLING of what you gave her does? How the power contained in that limiter could be broken? Do you know THAT YOU COULD HAVE KILLED HER THE MOMENT SHE PUT THAT ON?!"

"No. I didn't captain, but I do know that without someone, something, he would have continued to get worse. I didn't know what else to do. So I did this..." Matsumoto was nearly in tears. She could not have known this would happen. Hadn't dreamed it. All she knew was that the ring that she was entrusted with needed to be near someone or something that the captain would want to protect, that was all. She had been given it by the captain after Hinamori has... broken, and been told to make sure it was with someone who would be kind. That was all.

"The limiters are designed in such a way as to allow someone to enter another persons, well, for lack of a better word, soul, and bind the darkness inside them. They are used after someone has reached bankai as a seal, to prevent THIS" with a wave of his arm, he noted the destruction around them" from reaching a point where we need to kill the shinigami." I am not saying what you did was wrong, you didn't know, but bringing a human to this world alone is enough to get you banished, or worse executed. All we can do now is hope that she is strong enough to help seal the darkness..."

"We need to go to the human girl, is she still in the medical facility?" Ukitake sighed, why oh why had the government declared the limiters to be sensitive information, he would never know. He figured that vice captains knew enough about their captains to see the limiters and understand what they were really used for, but some people just were not informed until it was too late. Let's hope that she was strong enough to not only fight, but win against Hitsugaya. Otherwise there would be another innocent's blood on Soul Societies hands.

To be continued..

authors notes: I always wondered, from the first time I was the anime why it was that a shinigami's soul cutter had a personality. Then I realized we all have that space inside out heads that we made to go to be ourselves. I also realized what we might keep in there as well...

I want to thank my pre readers from the bottom of my heart for helping me finish this chapter up, and I want to thank the readers (all 20 of you) who have finished to this chapter so far!


	7. Be ever a Heart so Still

Be ever a Heart so Still

"Not quite..." The voice had a strange, resonate quality that made Karin shudder even from here. The amber eyes that peered out at her from behind the mask were pitiless empty and devoid of any kind emotion other than hate.

"I wondered who they would send..." The dark haired boy hopped from foot to foot as he stepped from the rock he had been sitting on and approached, slow and deliberate.

"I haven't killed in.. oh twenty minutes after all..." With that he was in front of her, naked blade held against her throat, the strange light throwing odd shadows on the ground. "But then again, I haven't killed anyone as good looking as you before. I wonder if your blood is as sweet as your scent..." he drawled the final word out, and Karin felt herself begin to cry as she realized what was about to happen.

"Ahh, yes, tears... cry, show me the power of that..." he began before being interrupted by a savage cry from nearby. With a wild jerk, some inner sense made Karin dive out of the way just as a blue flame ignited the space where the boy had been just a moment eariler. Blazing through the hellish flame Hitsugaya jumped like the very vengeance of heaven.

"Toshiro, how NICE of you to join us..." the raven haired boy was suddenly behind her, roughly pulling her by her wrist and locking it behind her, she felt the evil blade nick just at the right spot on her neck to make her go still. "We have lots of things to discuss, and a WONDERFUL treasure to exploit..."

--

"How is the human Unohara?" Ukitake had entered the medical tent five minutes eariler, roughly dragging a unresisting Matsumoto behind him like a ragdoll.

"She is stable, however she is in a coma, and her reiatsu seems to have disappeared..." Unohara finished lamely.

"That is because she is in his mind right now. She is the Limiters focus... We need to prepare for an immediate dive to prevent this from getting out of hand any more than they have. Call Mayuri and have him bright 'that.'"

--

"You won't touch her, you bastard!" With a harsh bellow Hitsugaya flew at his opponent, soul cutter carving ice out of the air as he plummeted at his enemy.

"Heh, so I won't touch her? But she is just soo... delicate" a sudden wrenching and Karin felt something in her shoulder give away, and she began to scream in agony. Hitsugaya stopped, feet only separating the two combatants as they faced each other down. Karin continued to sob, her cries being muffled as the atmosphere began to change suddenly. Dark, foreboding clouds sprang up, and Hitsugaya, bangs shadowing his eyes, dropped his soul cutter...

"What do you want?" Hitsugaya's voice was a monotone, his body not rising from where he stopped, his breathing slow and deliberate.

The masked boy sneered, and with that same strange voice demanded "I want my freedom. I want the power to do what your pathetic and worthless carcass can't. You, who are bound by your honor, and your love for that worthless woman..."

He spat this out with a cursed tounge blacker than steel "I want MY vengeance. Give my freedom to me, and I will kill Aizen with this blade, for US Toshiro." the masked boy cackled wildly. "I had hoped that you would not intervene in my business, but your sniveling self important ass decided to try to be a hero. Don't. You know that you want this, you want that bastards ass skewered and frozen. LET ME DO IT. LET ME FREE NOW!"

"On one condition. You need to let her go. Release her from this place, and you can have whatever you wan.." Hitsugaya was interrupted by Karin, her pain choked voice seemingly resounding in the rapidly darkening place.

"No. Don't do this Hitsugaya. Please. I don't fully understand this, but giving yourself to darkness is just an excuse. I don't care if I die here, but if you do this, you won't be forgiven. Stop before you do something that will make you regret being a captain. Stop before you do something that Momari would regret you doing..."

With a heave, Hitsugaya fell back on his haunches, his eyes leaking tears.

"I killed her! She is dead! Don't say her name PLEASE!" The child before Karin seemed so small, even through the pain she could tell that he was hurting, and she knew that it was so easy to give into the darkness, so easy to just give up. She bit into the hand of the boy who had been holding her so roughly, and with a wrench of her bad shoulder, she was suddenly by his side, holding his head gently as his emotional torrent finally broke free, causing the black clouds above to open in a torrent of freezing rain.

"Che, your interrupting our discussion girl. I can see that it's time to just cut the fat and do this the hard way. With a flick of the black haired boys blade, Karin felt a sudden chill on her back, then nothing...

"There, now that we have THAT out of the way, you feeling up to a REAL fight Toshiro, or should I just cut you down where your sitting and take this body. It doesn't matter, after all, I get your body even if you die, so I win!"

Hitsugaya looked on as Karin was enveloped in a block of ice, knowing what the next stroke of the attack from the boy would be. With a barely audible voice, the rains above suddenly grew colder, turning from sleet to snow. Eyes suddenly devoid of feeling, blue as the sea and cruel as depths of hell, Hitsugaya stood up to face down his opponent. A cry of "bankai" was the last thing seen before the world turned white...

--

"We are losing her! Quickly, I need every member, and I mean EVERY DAMN member here now." Karin's body had gone into convulsions soon after Unohara sent for Mayuri's aid her skin which had been warm to the touch was suddenly freezing, and her heart rate began to flutter and slow as her temperature began to drop.

--

"Oho, I see you have some fighting spirit left in you after all, and my what a BIG dragon you have Toshiro. I hope your not going to use that on poor little me..." the only response the black haired boy received was a blast of freezing ice as big as human fists. Blocking and parrying as he jumped away from the enraged captain, he sent out his own ice attacks to counter the captains. The dragon towered 50 stories above the battle, it's red eyes watching the battle below.

"You've gotten better, but remember, boy, I HAVE bankai as well." With that, the boy released his own soul cutter, the blast of black ice and fire matching the release from Hitsugaya.

"Bankai won't matter if your dead, fool." Hitsugaya was behind him suddenly, and the black haired boy could only realize that, too late that bankai had been a feint as Hitsugaya's soul cutter pierced through him, and the darkness again engulfed the world... The last vision Hitsugaya had as he lose consciousness was Karin's icy form beginning to fade into the darkness.

--

The ice crystals that had been forming on the barrier outside the containment area suddenly began to fall, and as the sealing squad watched, the visible power of the out of control dragon began to fold back in on itself, disappearing as if it had never existed, only to leave the devastation that had been wrought in its wake...

Jumping through the rubble even as the astonished sealing team was still trying to come to terms with the sudden release of the pressure, a white streak bounced from the zone hell bent towards the fourth squad headquarters.

--

"Cardic arrest, we need Mayuri here NOW, or we are going to lose her!" Unohara was managing the chaos around them, but she knew that they were probably too late. Once someone was locked into the battle for the mind, if they were unable to return, they were lost. The host soul would devour the intruder like a microphage. The only chance to save this girls life was to take what was left of her body soul and take it out, and then let it regrow. She would not be as she was before, but it was better than having her die forever.

The doors to the room were suddenly blown open, and without waiting for anyone, Hitsugaya ran up and shoving through the crowd, bent down and kiessed with Karin with all the passion in his soul before collapsing next to her, sound alseep. Unoticed by anyone, the glowing ring on the table next to the emergency table glowing bright blue for one moment before going out...

--

Black. White. Black. White. Black. White. She rose from sleep slowly, like a diver coming up from the depths of the sea. She had just had the WILDEST dream, and wanted to go to sleep and see if she could have a better one. Turning to her left, she snuggled down further into her pillow and wondered why it grunted in pain as she tried to punch the lumps out...

Hitsugaya was awakened in the darkness by the still form next to him beginning to shift slightly. Trying to understand why he would be sleeping next to someone, he was suddenly and rudely grabbed about the chest, then punched repeatedly before with a throaty sigh, the girl next to him rested more tightly in the crook of his arm. Deciding this was a bad dream himself, he closed his eyes for a moment before the reality of someone sleeping next to him hit like a ten ton brick.

"AHHH MATSUMOTO WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON!!" Hitsugaya screamed as every light in the fourth division recovery center came on...

authors note:

muhahahahahahahaha

for anyone who had read this far, thank you, and please submit a review!


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